The Council have issued a very detailed information sheet giving details of the way the changes will be made to our local schools over the next 2 years to complete the change from a three to a two tier system. The information gives a summary timetable as follows:  September 2011 Current year 4 pupils in […]

Michael Gove, Education Secretary of State, has asked the Birkenshaw free school group to reduce the size of the school to 650 and 750 as the maximum. A school of 650 would have a yearly intake of a maximum 130 pupils. There are 100 pupils in each year group in Birkenshaw Middle. There is therefore only […]

A packed hall last Friday at Whitcliffe Mount school enjoyed an absolutely stunning performance of the West End hit Les Miserables. This was a performance of the highest quality. I spoke to several people in the interval who were not connected witthe school but came to enjoy the show. They were all, without exception, full […]

I was at a meeting this week with some local headteachers and the Birkenshaw Parents Group and Serco, the private company chosen by the parents to run the school. One of the issues dscussed was the proposed date for opening the school – if it gets the go-ahead. Birkenshaw Middle School has a closure date […]

More than 1,000 people have signed the Cleckheaton Liberal Democrat petition to Save Cleckheaton Bus Station from Closure.  Cllr Andrew Pinnock has handed the petition into public transport authority (Metro) and has spoken to Metro chiefs about the strength of local feeling. The decision will be made when Metro determines its budget later this month.  […]

I asked a question at the Council meeting yesterday about the next steps for the proposed “free” school in Birkenshaw. Whenever there is a change to a school or a new school is built, Councils have to consult parents, other schools, councillors, and all school staff. Will that be the case for the proposed “free” […]

Local Tory councillors failed in their attempt to stop the council decision to invest £6 m in 3 of Cleckheaton’s schools. A public investigation of the decision on Tuesday ruled that the decision was done fairly and properly. The Tory challenge to the decision put the investment in jeopardy as the Government funding has to be […]

Very cold last night but all the priority routes have been gritted twice. One of the added problems is that salt is less efective at temperatures below -5 C. As many roads as possible will be cleared and gritted today. This includes roads that don’t normally get attention though some roads will not get gritted […]

Many of our local schools are closed again today because of the very icy conditions and the forecast of the likelihood of more snow during the day. The list is on the Kirklees Council website: http://www2.kirklees.gov.uk/community/education-learning/schoolclosure/closurelist.aspx

The action of Conservative Councillors in Gomersal and Birkenshaw has caused yet another delay to the schools decisions  in Cleckheaton. On November 9th, the Council’s Cabinet made the decision to create primary schools in Cleckheaton, Scholes and Gomersal. The Council has £6 million this financial year to make those changes. The Cabinet decided that the the schools in […]